Gaffing device



`March 4, 1941. H. R. LEE 2,233,670

GAFFING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1939 fie. 4

56. BY A ATTO NEY end of a pole or handle.

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFPicE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a fish gaff and is distinguishable from ordinary gaifs in that it is operated at a distance by means of a gaif line. Ordinarily, fish are caught on bait hooks and ordinary light fish lines. After the sh has been snagged or caught on the fish hook, it is carefully brought up to the surface and is then removed from the water by means of a gaff which ordinarily is a large hook mounted upon one In a great many instances, howevenas for example on fishing barges, piers, etc., it is impossible to reachthe iish even after it is brought to the surface of the water since the fisherman is stationed at a considerable elevation above the surface of the water. In many other instances, a fish greatly exceeding the strength of the fish line used is caught and under such conditions any attempt to bring the fish to the surface results in the loss of tackle and fish.

The present invention comprises a running gaff which is capable of being operated from a remote point, and generally stated comprises a device which can be removably and slidably attached to the fish line on which a large fish has been caught, the travelling gaif then sliding down the fish line and firmly hooking the fish. The travelling gaf is equipped with a heavy line so that afterl the fish has been impaled upon the running gaif, the gaff together with the fish may be pulled tov the surface of the water in a very ready and safe manner.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide a running gaff.

Another object is to provide a running gaff adapted to be slidably and removably attached to a fishing line.

A still further object is to provide a running gaff including adjustable and yieldingly carried gaff hooksv which facilitate and insure secure gaing of the fish.

'Ihese and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.v In order to facilitate understanding, reference will be had to the appended drawing showing certain illustrative forms of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing the manner in which the running or travelling gaff of this invention may be used.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the gaff.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of running gaff.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the plane 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a still further modiiication.

By referring to Fig. l, the normal hook carried by the end of the fishing line I has been taken by the fish 2. It is assumed that the sh is so large as to render it dangerous to attempt to raise the fish to the surface. The fisherman therefore takes the running gaff, generally indicated at 3, and slidably attaches the same to the shing line I by threading the fishing line I into the guides 4 and 5, whereupon the running gaif is permitted to slide down the fishing line I. In Fig. l such ga is shown approaching the fish.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the running gafi 3 comprises an elongated body portion 6 provided with means for attaching a heavy line thereto at one end as, for example, the eye 1. The body portion carries the gaf hooks 8 at the opposite end. One, two, three or even more gafi hooks may be carried at such end. The body portion 6 also preferably carries a small fin or weighted member 9. Extending from the body portion in a longitudinal parallel relation is a leaf spring I. Such leaf spring is attached to the body portion 6 as by means of the block II adjacent the eye end 'I of such body portion. The leaf spring I0 is preferably equal in length to between about one-third and two-thirds of the length of the body portion 6. Such leaf spring carries the guiding eyes or loops 5 and 4. By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that in the construction illustrated the guiding eye 5 comprises a ring bra-Zed, welded or otherwise attached to the spring and having an opening I2, such opening being closed by a light leaf spring I3, one end of which is attached to the ring adjacent the opening I2 while the other end is resiliently held against the opposite end of the ring. The fishing line I can therefore be readily passed into the guiding eye 5 through the port I2 and past the leaf spring I3.

While sliding down the fish line I the gaff hooks 8 willspring away from the fishing line I by reason of the resiliency of the leaf spring Ill. The gaffing line is attached to the eye 'I and is indicated at I5. After the running or travelling gaff reaches the fish or reaches the bottom of its travel (as, for example, by contact of the forward guide 5 with the end of the hook or with the iish), the fisherman can give the gaif line I5 a jerk or pull, such jerk or pull tending to straighten the gaif and drive the gaff hooks 8 under the jaw or head of the fish. rIhe fish thus becomes securely impaled upon the gaif hooks, whereupon the fish, irrespective of its size, can now be `drawn to the surface and landed comprise a solid bar having an eye I I to which*V the gaif line may be attached. Gafjng hooks are indicated at I8 and such gafhngy hooks are flexibly and resiliently connected to the body portion It as by means of a coil of wire i9. In order to prevent undue stretching of such coiled spring I, a link chain 2t may connect the body portion IB with the base of the hooks IS, such chain permitting flexibility of such end portion without unnecessary or unrestricted stretching of the coil IS.

The guiding eyes shown in Figs. 4 and 5 cornprise curved members 2| and 22 attached to the body portion it and bent toward each other from opposite sides into overlapping relation so as to permit the fishing line to be threaded therebetween into the opening or loop thus formed bythe prongs. While travelling down a fishing line, the gan hooks E6 will bend downwardly or will slide under the head of the sh by reason of the flexible connection IS but any pull on the gaff line will immediately drive such gan hooks into the fish. v

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the body portion 2B of the running gaff is provided with a downwardly extending rear fin 2'! and an eye 28 is attached .to the rear end by means of a swivel connection. The forward end of the body portion 26 is bifurcated and carries a pivotalli,r mounted member 29 provided with the gaif hook or hooks 38. In effect, the member 29 is a bell crank lever, the hook 3i) forming the long arm and a leaf spring 3l bears against the shorter arm of the member 29, yieldably urging the gaif hook 3@ into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

The leaf spring 3l is attached to the body member as for example at 32. Suitable guide eyes are indicated at and 35.

I employed in substantially the same manner as This device is 1. A sh gaff comprising an elongated body portion provided with means for attaching a gaff line thereto at the rear thereof; a pair of longitudinally spaced guide means associatedwith the elongated body portion forr releasably and slidably attaching the gaff to a fishing line whereby the gaff is positively guided along ka fishing line;A

and rearwardly and upwardly extending gai hooks carried by the body portion below and ahead of said guide means, said gaif hooks being resiliently mounted with respect to saidguide means whereby said gaff hooks may yieldingly slide under a fish and be driven into a fish by I pulling on a gaff line to move the gan in a direction away from the fish.

2. A fish gaff comprising an elongated body f portion provided with means for attaching a gaif line to the rear end thereof, a gaff hook assembly at :the front end thereof, a guide adjacent the rear end of said body portion, another guide carried by the top of said body portion and spaced from the gaff hook assembly andY from the first named guide, said guides being releasably attachable to a fishing line, and spring means for yieldably urging the gaff hook assembly into engagement with a fish. e

3. An elongated fish gaff having` guide means on one side thereof adapted to be releasably and slidably attached to a fishing line, means at the rear of said gaff for attaching a line thereto, and a gan hook assembly yieldably carried at the front end of said gaff, said assembly includl ing hooks, and'spring means 'for permitting said hooks to pass beneath a fish andto urge said hooks into the fish when the gaiT is pulled in a direction away from the fish. Y

4. A fish gaif comprising an `elongated body portion, means for attaching a line to the rear of said body portion, a longitudinally extending leaf spring having one end attached to the'body portion adjacent the rear end thereof, a pair of spaced guide means carried by the spring and adapted to be releasably and slidably attached to a fishing line, and a gaif hook assembly carried bythe front end of said body portion ahead of said spring. f

5. An elongated fish gaif having a pair of spaced guide means on the upper side thereof adapted to be releasably and slidably attached to a fishing line, and a gaif hook assembly yieldably carried at the front end of said gaif in ad- Vance of said guide means, said assembly including upwardly and rearwardly extending hooks and spring means for permitting said hooks to pass beneath a fish and urge said hooks into a fish when said gafi is pulled away from the fish.

6. An elongated fish gai having guide means on one side thereof adapted to be releasably and slidably attached to a fishing line, means at the rear end of the gaff for attaching a gafi line thereto, and a gai hook assembly yieldably c'ar- 

